Bundled Up
by Bailadora
Summary: Sequel to 'Camping Trip.' Another weekend getaway for Booth and Temperance leads to snowball fights, discussions about love, and of course, endless cuddling possibilities.
1. Chapter 1

Temperance gazed out her window at the swirling mass of white fluff that was falling gently to the ground. Booth had insisted that they get away for New Year's, and Temperance had agreed.

Six months. She and Booth had been dating for almost six months now. It was amazing, really, that he had held onto her this long. And she had no intention of leaving.

She looked over at Booth, who had the steering wheel clutched tightly in his hands. He was concentrating intently on the road, which was hard to see due to all the snow. Temperance reached out a hand and placed it on his arm. He smiled, briefly meeting her gaze before returning his attention to the road.

She didn't know where they were going yet, but Booth had told her to pack warm. He picked her up in his SUV over an hour ago and they were still driving.

"Booth, where are we going?" she tried again. She had asked this question about four times already. Maybe she was wearing him down.

Or maybe she wasn't. "You'll see."

Temperance slouched back in her seat. As much as she hated to admit it, she was starting to enjoy his surprises. He had taken her mini-golfing and horseback riding, on picnics and to salsa dancing lessons. She loved his spontaneity. He would just call and say he was going to pick her up in fifteen minutes. And he would be there right on time, sometimes with flowers, always with a kiss. The times she looked forward to most were when they would drive around the city with nowhere to go. Then Booth would park and they would kiss and kiss until time got away from them. He'd take her home and they would do the same thing again the next day.

She fingered the necklace hanging from her neck. This had been one surprise she didn't like. Booth got it for her for Christmas, a beautiful sapphire suspended on a delicate chain. She had said it was too much, but Booth insisted it was perfect. He said that when the light hit it, it would sparkle like her eyes. After admiring it for a moment longer she guiltily handed over her gift for him: Christmas socks and a tie.

Blushing at the memory, Temperance swiveled in her seat to see if she could figure out where they were going by what Booth packed. A toboggan was sticking up at an awkward angle next to a suitcase.

"Is Parker coming along too?" she asked, unable to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She wanted Booth all to herself.

"No. It's just me and you."

Temperance felt the usual lurch in her stomach as he spoke. She wouldn't have to share Booth with anyone for the next few days. "Then what's the sled for?"

"Shh… you're ruining the surprise," Booth replied.

He obviously wasn't going to give anything away. Temperance settled in for the ride. She tugged at a string that was dangling from the sleeve of her sweater, fiddled with the radio only to get nothing but static, and was just reaching to turn down the heat when Booth grabbed her hand.

He didn't need to say anything; she understood his meaning: chill. She couldn't help it; she just wanted out of the car. Even though it was Saturday she had spent the entire day at the lab, giving a name to the remains of a burn victim. And now she was cooped up in the car. She just couldn't sit still.

She tried to concentrate on Booth's hand, on how warm it was, how much larger than hers it was. She rubbed her thumb along his, feeling the dry and callused skin beneath her fingers and identifying his scaphoid, trapezium, and metacarpal bones. Something about it calmed her.

Booth made a right turn, but with all the snow it was hard to even tell that they were still moving. He drove a bit further and a brown blob became the only other color in the landscape. Temperance squinted at it but couldn't make out what exactly it was.

She looked over at Booth, who had pulled the key from the ignition. "This is it." He smiled and got out of the car, running around the front to get the door for her. She pulled her sweater closer to her body before taking Booth's proffered hand and hopping down.

At first she bowed her head against the snow, but soon decided to look up. Fluffy flakes tickled her cheeks, melting on contact. She blinked against them, which blurred her vision, and smiled. If she could forget about Christmas, winter was her favorite season.

Booth led her towards the brown blob, and it got clearer the closer they got. When Temperance realized what she was looking at she dropped Booth's hand and nearly knocked him over with the force of her hug. She pressed a quick kiss to his lips and turned back to the log cabin.

One day when they had been doing they're aimless driving, Booth asked if there was anything she'd really wanted but never gotten. She'd thought long and hard, discarding the wants that Booth already knew about until remembering that as a child she had always dreamt of living in a log cabin, but she never had the chance. So, that's what she told Booth.

And he had remembered.

She could hardly contain herself as he pulled a key out of his pocket and opened the door. It even _smelled_ cozy and homelike inside. They were standing in a small kitchen, and Temperance smiled, remembering how small the kitchen in the camper had been. At least this one was a bit larger. The wood floors were dusty and looked very old. She ran her hands over the countertops, which were just as old and dusty as the floors and looked up at Booth, who couldn't keep the smile off his face.

"How'd you find this place?" she asked him.

He shrugged. "I know a guy who knows a guy." He looked around. "He said that they only just got electricity in here a few months ago.

Temperance looked around in awe. This was just as she had always imagined it would be. Low ceilings and an oak table, a bronze teakettle on the stove. Though the electricity was new, the appliances were vintage seventies. They looked out of place in the cabin, but Temperance didn't care. This was perfect.

The kitchen opened into a living room and a single doorway. Temperance peaked into the living room. A lone couch sat in front of a fireplace, wood piled up beside it. That was it. She opened the door with Booth right behind her.

The only bedroom housed a bed and dresser. Another door led to what Temperance presumed was the bathroom. She walked up the bed and sat down on what looked like a homemade quilt, bouncing up as the springs beneath her creaked to life. Her legs hung over the edge; she was too far off the ground for her feet to touch the floor.

"So, do you like it?" Booth asked, still grinning.

Temperance answered by jumping off the bed and throwing herself at him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pressing her lips to his.

**A/N: Yeah, I know, this took me forever to get posted. Life has just gotten in the way lately. I finally got a horse!!! ((I've wanted one since I was old enough to say 'hokey' which was my way of say 'horsey,' so it's been a long time)) I'm out at the barn with her just about every day. HOPEFULLY****I'll get the next chapter up soon. And as always, I'd LOVE to hear your comments!!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: C: You guys are awesome!! My horse's name is Dancer ((which is sorta ironic because I've been taking dance lessons for the last eleven years. It's like it was meant to be.)) She's a three-year-old Tennessee Walker and stands about 14.1hh. So, she's young and tiny but she's very well trained, and she's the sweetest thing ever, comes trotting up to me when I go into the pasture to bring her out. I just love her! I ordered her an all-purpose English saddle, but it hasn't come yet, and when I do finally get to ride her, I'll definitely let you all know how it goes!! I could talk about her forever, but now I should probably get back to Booth and Temperance, huh?

When they finally broke apart, Booth had a smile tugging at his lips. "I guess that means you like it?"

Temperance nodded. "I just–" She looked around the small room again and felt an intense feeling of belonging. "This is so…"

"Perfect?" Booth finished for her.

She wrapped him up in another hug. "Thanks," she whispered into his ear.

"Oh don't thank me just yet. There's so much more," he said as he took a step back. "I'll go get your bags so you can unpack while I make dinner."

Temperance watched him walk away, wondering how on earth he had remembered how much she'd wanted this. She stood there a moment longer, then turned back to the bed. This time she looked closer at the quilt. It was old; that much was obvious by the amount of frayed edges and repaired holes. On each block was a different heart, some more abstract than others. She ran her fingers over them, feeling the raised edges and perfect stitches. Whoever had made this put a lot of love and care into it.

A noise behind her made her jump. Booth had come back from outside, a few snowflakes still clinging to his jacket. Two suitcases lay at his feet.

"Now, stay in here for the next fifteen minutes, okay?"

Temperance was becoming more and more accustomed with his surprises. He didn't want her to know what he was making for dinner. "Okay."

Booth smiled and shut the door behind her. She slowly wandered across the room to her suitcase, knowing it wouldn't take her that long to unpack. Opening the case, she smiled. Thank god Booth had warned her of this trip so she could back for herself, instead of wearing the too tight clothes Angela had thought would be appropriate for their first vacation together.

Temperance looked around the room, searching for a place to put her clothes. The dresser next to the bed caught her eye. 

She pulled open the bottom drawer, drawing in a deep breath of the woody scent that swirled out as she opened it. It was empty. She unloaded her bulky sweaters and jeans into one drawer, all her other clothing into another. Her toiletries went in the bathroom, which, like the rest of the cabin, was very tiny.

With her shampoo in the shower and a toothbrush on the counter, she returned to the bedroom. Eight minutes gone. She glanced over at Booth's suitcase, contemplating whether or not she should put his things away as well. Deciding against it, she let her eyes wander around the room. It was sparsely decorated, one painting on the wall: a lone deer sprinting through a meadow. The only other decoration was a picture on top of the dresser. Temperance picked it up.

A very happy family smiled back at her. The mother, a brunette, had a huge smile on her face. But she wasn't smiling at the camera; she was smiling at her husband, a balding man with loving eyes. His face was frozen in a laugh that was directed at the small boy sitting in his lap. The boy had brilliant green eyes and a smile that went on forever. He was holding hands with a young girl who looked like she could be his twin.

Temperance sat on the bed, the picture still in her hand. She'd always said she didn't want a family, and she still stood by that. But she still knew she could be just as happy as the woman, knew that her own face was capable of smiling like that.

A knock at the door and Booth poked his head in. "Dinner's ready." Noticing the photo still held in her hands, Booth stepped into the room and sat down beside her. He smiled and kissed her check, took the picture from her and grabbed her hand, leading her out into the kitchen.

"Mmm…" Temperance couldn't help herself, it smelled great. She opened her eyes, which she had closed so she could savor the scent even more and looked around the kitchen. The table was set for two with paper plates and wineglasses. She raised her eyebrows at Booth, who shrugged.

"It's all I could find," he explained.

Temperance allowed him to pull out a chair for her and pour her a glass of wine. Booth brought a pot over and spooned tortellini onto her plate. They both grinned at the sound it made when it hit the paper plate.

"Well, it's less dishes to wash," Temperance said as she raised a forkful of noodles to her lips. "Mmm… Booth this is really good." She took another bite. Booth smiled his thanks at her.

When they had finished with their dinner, Temperance took the glasses and forks over to the sink. She looked out the window as she washed the silverware. It was pitch black, and Temperance found it hard to tell if the dark unknown went on forever or if it stopped right outside the window.

Booth stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Temperance refocused her gaze and could see the two of them reflected in the glass, Booth's lips on her neck, her own twisted into a smile.

"Leave those for tomorrow," Booth murmured, grabbing a soapy fork out her hand and dropping it into the now lukewarm water.

He led her into the bedroom, which had cooled off considerably since earlier. It was odd how Temperance no longer minded changing in front of him. She slipped out of her clothes and pulled on a tee shirt, the same one she had worn when she first camped with Booth, and hurried to get under the covers next to him.

"So," he whispered after kissing her in a way that left her dizzy, "New Year's in three days. Anything special you want to do?"

Temperance knew why he was asking. Though they'd often shared a bed, their clothes always stayed on. Every time she wanted to have sex with him, or when she felt that she should, something stopped her. She didn't know what it was, but she was sure that by now it was bothering Booth, because it was bothering her. But Booth never brought it up and neither did she.

"We'll see." She cuddled into him and fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Yes, I know it's been a very long time since I last updated. But with school and all the homework we've been getting, homecoming planning and student council, football games, babysitting, riding Dancer ((which has been AMAZING!!!)) and dance lessons, I just haven't had time. I'm really sorry and I hope this chapter makes up for the wait.

"Wake up, Sleepy Head."

Temperance was roused by the incessant pressing of Booth's lips against hers. With her eyes closed she kissed him back, his passion erasing any of her previous need for coffee; she was wide-awake now.

Booth was still kneeling over her when she finally opened her eyes. He grinned. "'Mornin'."

When he didn't get off of her, she pushed at his chest but wasn't strong enough to move him. The intensity of his grin never wavered.

"Are you going to move?"

He leaned down and kissed her neck in response. "Do I have to?"

She nodded. Being totally honest with herself, she didn't really want him to get up. But he didn't have to know that.

Booth scrunched up his features in what Temperance figured was supposed to be a thoughtful face. "Or, I could not get up and we can spend the rest of the day in bed."

Distracting him with another kiss, she gathered up her strength and shoved him off, surprising even herself with the fact that he almost landed on the floor. With a small smirk, she sauntered off to the bathroom, throwing a playful look over her shoulder before closing the door behind her. Just to be on the safe side, she locked the door before stripping and pulling back the shower curtain, which depicted a deer bounding through a lush meadow.

She stepped into the tub and for a moment simply stood there letting the water hit her body like icy pellets. As soon as she was warmed she followed her usual routine, lathering and rinsing her hair, then rubbing a bar of soap over her body.

Showering had always helped her to relax. It was her alone time and she used it to shut off her brain to the outside world. So, as steam rose up above her, so did all thoughts off Booth. It was just she and the water. That was, until she turned off the faucet and wrapped a thin towel tightly around herself. Then all thoughts of her partner came flooding back. But she didn't mind. A smile tugged at her lips as she recalled his sleeping face, his goofy grin, his arms around her waist…

Booth was still lounging on the bed when Temperance emerged from the bathroom, his arms thrown back and his legs crossed at the ankles. He sat up as soon as the door opened, and grinned appreciatively at the towel, which was the only thing separating her from him. When she made no move to remove the scanty piece of fabric, he stood and stretched, knowing full well that Temperance was admiring his bare torso.

He scratched his chest and moved closer to her. "Want me to make some coffee?"

Temperance stood on tiptoe and pecked him on the lips. "No thanks."

Booth managed to sneak in another quick kiss before heading into the bathroom. Temperance waited until she heard the water run before dropping the towel and grabbing some clothes out of the dresser. One blue sweater, a pair of jeans, and two thick wool socks later and Temperance was dressed for the day. After tucking the sapphire necklace under her sweater, she toweled off her hair and rifled through her bag for a brush that wasn't there. Damn. She must have left it in the bathroom.

She could no longer hear the shower running, so she raised a fist to the door and knocked twice.

"Hold on two seconds," Booth called.

Temperance took a step back. _One thousand one. One thousand two._ She placed a hand on the doorknob, turned, and pushed.

"Goddammit, Bones!" Booth exclaimed. His towel was lying on the floor at his feet, and water rivulets still streamed down his toned body. If the way he had been leaning over the counter was any suggestion, he had been making faces at himself in the mirror. He snatched up his towel and wrapped it around his waist. It slipped slightly before settling over his hips.

Though her checks were flushed, Temperance had managed to keep a straight face. "You did say 'two seconds'," she reminded him.

Booth groaned and shifted his weight. If it was possible, the towel scooted even lower.

"Two seconds means…" he shook his head and rolled his eyes, unable to think of an explanation. A drop of water made its way into his eye and he backhanded it away. Again his towel traveled south.

Wanting to escape the bathroom before his towel met the floor again, Temperance snatched up her hairbrush and backed out of the bathroom. Booth watched her go with a smile playing about his lips.

Temperance ran the brush through her hair, reflecting on what she'd just seen. She wanted to see it again. Soon. That's why she'd fled the bathroom: she couldn't trust herself around him sometimes. And the look he'd had on his face–

She was still smiling when Booth came out of the bathroom. He was now fully clothed.

"What?" Innocent.

She simply shook her head.

"I've got something great planned for today," Booth announced over a breakfast of eggs and toast. His eyes glittered with excitement.

Temperance tore her eyes from the window. Snow was no longer falling, but the landscape was still so white that it nearly blinded her to look away. She refocused on the bit of egg that clung feebly to her fork, and popped it in her mouth before asking, "What's that?"

Booth stood and rinsed his and Temperance's dishes. "I'll show you. But first–" He disappeared into the bedroom and came back with two pairs of black snow-pants and two matching jackets, each black with a large white 'X' printed on the back. Booth held up a finger and reentered the bedroom. When he returned he dropped two pairs of heavy boots on the floor with a loud _thunk_. Temperance picked at the thick jacket and looked up at Booth. He offered no explanation, just grabbed the larger set of winter clothing and pulled it on.

Temperance followed suit, and by the time she had donned everything, including a pair of heavy, black gloves and thin hat, she was perspiring. She wiped her brow and looked back to Booth. He was barely recognizable under all the layers.

She followed Booth out the door, instantly welcoming the frigid air. She took in a deep breath and looked around. Everything was covering in a layer of white. Snow-capped pine trees. A small fence surrounding the property. Even Booth's SUV had a good six inches of snow piled up on top of it.

Temperance sunk up to her knees in the powdery snow with each step she took. Instead of stopping, she picked up her pace and followed Booth around the back of the cabin.

While she absolutely loved winter, she really won't have minded lighting a fire and curling up on the couch with a good book. Booth was an added bonus.

Booth stopped and Temperance, who had been following close behind him and using his footprints like stepping stones in the deep snow, bumped into him. Up to her knees in snow, she toppled over backwards. Laying on her back, she looked up at the gray sky and felt a grin tugging at her lips. Booth's face filled her field of vision, an expression of concern etched on his features. When he saw that she was smiling, he held out a hand and helped her up. He pulled her close and brought his lips to hers.

Wondering if this was the great thing he had planned for the day, Temperance kissed him back, loosing herself in the moment. Soon out of breath, she bit her lip and broke the kiss. Booth watched her expectantly, obviously waiting for some kind of comment.

Temperance said nothing, waiting to see if Booth would break the perfect silence.

He didn't, just pressed one last quick kiss to her lips and turned, his arms spread wide.

Temperance stepped up beside him and her breath caught in her throat with the beauty of what lay below.

Behind the cabin, the land dropped off into a steep valley. A spattering of trees filled the bottom, and forests covered the surrounding hills. A blanket of white coated everything.

Booth walked off to the left and for the first time Temperance noticed the two jet-black snowmobiles residing there. With a rush of excitement she hurried after him.

Arctic Cat was printed on the sides of the identical sleds. Looking closer, Temperance made out the words 'Sno Pro F6.' Booth watched as she circled them. She came up with one word to describe them. Fast.

"Are we–" she began to ask.

Booth nodded and mounted one of the snowmobiles, indicating that Temperance do the same on the other. He produced two helmets, and when Temperance had pulled hers on he gestured for her to turn the key. She did and the engine roared to life, sending the snowmobile idling beneath her. A grin spread across her face when she saw that the odometer hit 160.

She had never been snowmobiling before, but with Booth teaching her she learned quickly. Soon she was chasing after him, winding through trees and speeding across flat open fields. Adrenaline flooded her veins and every so often she would let out a small laugh. No on could hear her, after all. All the while she kept the white 'X' on the back of his jacket in view.

After about two hours of racing across the trails, she shot ahead of Booth, keen to see if he could catch her. When he didn't, she slowed and looked behind her. No one was there.

Oh shit.

She turned and doubled back, looking for signs of her partner. About a mile down the trail she found him sitting on his sled on the side of the trail. His helmet rested on the seat behind him and his face lit up when he saw her.

Temperance pulled to a stop right beside him, confident that a professional couldn't have done a better job. Booth seemed to agree; he gave a nod, a teacher impressed with his student.

"What's up?" she asked, looking from Booth to his snowmobile, which was no longer running.

"I think I'm outta gas," he explained.

Temperance glanced down at her own fuel gage. "I'm still half full," she said.

Booth just shrugged.

They stared at each other, Temperance waiting for Booth to ask, Booth waiting for Temperance to give in.

Booth folded first. "Can I ride with you?"

Temperance grinned. "On one condition. I drive."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: It snowed all day yesterday here in Wisconsin. There's more than half a foot on the ground. Yay!! I guess that was the motivation I needed to sit down and work on this. :D As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!

Booth added another log to the fire before rejoining Temperance on the couch. She settled back into him and threw a quilt over both of their legs.

She had gotten her wish: she was sitting in front of a blazing fire, though now she was thinking of the book as more of an added bonus. She could do without it, but Booth…

Well, Booth was a necessity.

Temperance returned to the Jane Austen novel she was currently working her way through. Angela had gotten her hooked on the nineteenth century romances and right now she was following Miss Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy through their twisted love story.

Booth was giving her a look that clearly suggested she was insane. She didn't blame him. Before tonight he hadn't known she read fiction. Especially fiction of the romantic sort.

She ignored his look and continued reading.

The fire crackled. Pages were turned. The mutual silence went unbroken.

Booth placed a hand on Temperance's thigh and with each page she turned he inched the hand higher. When his fingers rested in a place high enough to make reading impossible, Temperance looked over at him, a stern expression on her face. His own face held an expression of innocence.

He said nothing. His hand stayed put.

Her body screamed for her to do something. Her brain screamed for her to do something. For once they agreed on the course of action. It didn't involve clothing.

Ignoring her libido, Temperance redirected her gaze to the novel.

After a moment, Booth's fingers began massaging small circles where they rested between Temperance's legs. She shifted her weight, trying to shake his touch. It didn't work.

Why wouldn't she do it? She obviously wanted to. So why couldn't she? Maybe if she just–

Her eyelids started to droop, the day's events beginning to take their toll. After Booth had given in and allowed her to drive, she'd taken them over another seventy-five miles before deciding to call it quits. The only thing stopping her was her sore behind. With Booth's arms around her waist she'd felt as though she could have kept on going forever.

The words on the page were blurring together so she marked the page with a finger, closed her eyes, and leaned against Booth, intending to sleep for only a few minutes.

When she woke, Booth was still watching her, though his hand no longer resided between her legs. The book had been taken from her hands and the fire was no longer burning.

Booth smiled when he saw that she was awake and pressed a kiss to her cheek. A horrible crick in her neck informed her that she had slept through the whole night using Booth as a pillow. How the hell she had fallen asleep with his hand where it had been was beyond her. She hoped she hadn't drooled.

If the smile one his face was any indication, she hadn't slobbered him.

"Why are you so happy?" she asked, wanting to know what the grin was for.

He leaned in again and covered her mouth with his. After a breathtaking kiss, he pulled away, smile still in place. "I love you."

Temperance said nothing, just initiated another kiss.

Realizing that if she didn't stop now the whole day would be spent like this, Temperance pushed him off and told him to go make her some breakfast. Though she'd only been joking, Booth obliged and headed for the kitchen.

After bowls of cereal they donned their winter clothing and headed outside.

It was snowing lightly as Temperance followed Booth out of the cabin. The flakes were large and fluffy, and nestled in the hair that had escaped her hat. She titled her head skyward; it was white with snow. Snowflakes hit her face like pinpricks of ice, but somehow they were softer, gentler. Tentatively, she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue. With her eyes closed, she caught one, two, three chilly flakes on her outstretched tongue.

She opened her eyes to find Booth watching her, a huge grin on his face. A flush crawled up her cheeks, embarrassed that he had seen. Booth swept her into his arms.

"God, I love you," he murmured before kissing her.

They spent a few passionate moments right where they stood, breathing each other in and letting the rest of the world simply fall away.

They finally broke apart, still grinning. Temperance was struck once again by the realization of just how much she enjoyed spending this time with Booth, how being close to him sent shivers down her spine and butterflies zipping around her stomach. Her smile grew, fueling the one on Booth's face.

Grabbing her mittened hand, Booth led her towards his SUV. He unlocked the door, grabbed the toboggan, and pulled it out. He dropped it to the ground and dragged it along behind him.

They trudged through knee-deep snow to the back of the cabin where the ground sloped into a valley below them.

Temperance laughed, realization dawning on her. "We're sledding?"

Booth answered by sitting down on the toboggan. He patted the little space that was left between his legs. "Come on."

Uncertainly, Temperance settled herself in front of him. He brought his legs up beside her and wrapped his arms around her waist, though since they were both wearing so many layers it was hard to tell that they were even touching.

"Ready?" he whispered, his lips brushing her ear.

She nodded.

They started off slowly, but the sled gained speed as the slope grew steeper. Bitter wind whipped her hair up and caused her eyes to water. They were racing along now, and if they were to crash–well, they weren't going to crash. She knew she was safe inside Booth's arms.

The silence of the moment was getting to her; it seemed wrong somehow. She opened her mouth and let out an echoing laugh. Booth reciprocated behind her.

The bottom of the hill was approaching. Soon the ground leveled off and the toboggan came to a stop. Temperance and Booth stayed where they were for a moment, committing this moment to memory, not wanting to forget they way they felt right now.

Booth stood first and reached down a hand to help Temperance up. Together they turned towards the hill.

"Oh–"

The trip back to the top was going to take a lot longer than the trip to the bottom.

When finally they reached the top, Temperance was breathing heavy. She dropped dramatically to the ground, where she lay still on her back. Booth stepped up next to her and his face blocked out the sky above her. His cheeks were red and his eyes watered slightly.

"Ready to go again?" He smiled.

Temperance groaned jokingly and rolled to her feet. As much as she hated the walk back up, sledding down was worth it. So was being so close to Booth.

She settled herself back into Booth and they were speeding down the hill again. Temperance was laughing and Booth was laughing and the trees at the bottom where growing closer and closer. And then, suddenly they weren't. Temperance was flying, no longer sitting on the toboggan. She hit snow and instead of green pines all she could see was white.

She rolled over and sat up, still laughing. Booth lay a few feet from her, watching her with worry in his eyes. As soon as he saw she was okay he smiled and got to his feet. They brushed the snow off their jackets and chased the toboggan the rest of the way down the hill.

The sledding was fun, but they soon grew tired of hiking back up the hill.

"Now what?" Temperance asked. She was lying at the top of the hill, Booth on the ground beside her.

Booth jumped to his feet. "Let's build a snowman."

"A snowman?"

Booth was already beginning to roll a snowball.

Temperance watched him work, the snowball growing larger and larger each time he passed in front of her. The last time she had made one had been a few weeks before her parents left. It had been the first snow of the season, and the whole family bundled up and headed outside. They'd built a huge snowman, taller than any of them had been, and dressed him in a hat and scarf.

They'd all been so happy then.

Temperance stood and began to make her own snowball. She rolled it over to where Booth had positioned the base and he helped her lift her ball up onto it. He offered a smile, knowing what was going on in her head. She smiled back.

While Booth went off in search of sticks to use for arms, Temperance rolled the head. Booth came back and lifted it up; the snowman was taller than he was. He added the sticks and was drawing a face with his finger when Temperance bent down and scooped up a handful of snow. She packed it into a ball and lofted it at Booth.

It hit him square in the back.

He turned around, a devilish smile playing about his lips. Dropping to his knees, he gathered snow into his own snowball. Temperance high-tailed it around the side of the cabin. There she waited, another snowball in hand.

Booth's face appeared in front of her. Grinning, she threw the snowball. He caught it and chucked the two he held in his hands at her. They hit her in the chest.

Temperance ran past him, back to the snowman, where she made a few more snowballs. Booth was right on her heels, and she turned to throw them at him. After making sure that they made contact, she jogged off again. Booth followed. Before she knew what was happening, his arms were around her waist and he was dragging her to the ground.

Trapped under him, she clawed against his chest, but to no avail. Booth lowered his lips to hers and she stopped struggling against him. As soon as he had her kissing back and practically begging for more, he rolled off and revealed the snowball he had cradled in one hand.

Temperance's eyes widened. She jumped up and ran off, reaching down to gather more snow as she went. Finally she turned to face him. He was staring her down. Each of them held their icy weapons in their hands.

"One," she called.

"Two," Booth answered.

"_Three!_" they yelled together, and hurled the snowballs at each other.

The one Booth had thrown fell short. Temperance's, on the other hand, collided with its target.

Booth fell backwards, clutching his head.

"Booth!" Temperance yelled, and she ran over to see if he was all right.

She knelt down in the snow beside him. He was still clutching his eye with both hands. Temperance pulled them away from his face. The skin surrounding his right eye was already turning blue.

"Oh, my God. Booth, are you okay? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to throw it that hard, and I–"

He raised a hand to her lips to silence her. "I'm fine."

Temperance didn't appear to hear him and kept on talking. "Can you walk?" she concluded.

"It's my eye, not my leg, Bones."

Even so, Temperance gave him a hand up and treaded an arm around his waist to guide him to the cabin. It may only have been his eye, but Temperance could tell that he like having her help him.

Once inside, she unzipped his jacket and slipped it off, unlaced his boots and helped him out of those as well, pulled off his snowpants, and rid him of his mittens and hat. Booth watched her do it, but made no move to help.

After they were both out of their winter clothing, she settled him under the covers of their bed. She put some ice in a baggie and returned to the bedroom, where she examined his eye. The skin was growing darker, and the edges were taking on a greenish tinge. She traced the bruise gently with her finger. Then, remembering how it felt when she'd sliced her foot open, she kissed the tender skin. Booth let out a sound that was half whimper, half groan.

Temperance slid under the covers and cuddled in close to him. He was asleep before she could form another apology.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Okay. Last chapter. I just haven't been very good at updating and coming up with new ideas, so this is the end. I hoped you enjoyed what there was and I always love to hear what you think.

It was early afternoon and Temperance wasn't tired. She couldn't think of anything else to do, so she just snuggled in closer to Booth.

He snored quietly beside her. Temperance smiled. He'd been doing so much, trying so hard to make this and unforgettable weekend that he'd tired himself out. If only he knew that every minute she spent with him was unforgettable.

Moving slowly as to not wake him, Temperance rolled to face him. Sleep softened him features, made them look almost boyish and lips curled up at the edges. Temperance wondered what he was dreaming about. The bag of ice had slipped from his face and was melting on his pillow. Making sure it was still tightly zipped, Temperance dropped it to the floor. Then she reached up and traced his bruise again. Round and round her finger went and Booth never stirred.

It was methodical and soon Temperance didn't even realize she was doing it. Lying next to him, all her thoughts fell away. There was nothing else, just the two of them and the snow falling outside.

The room was growing dark when Temperance's stomach gave a sharp growl. She jumped at the sudden sound, then scolded herself. It was her fault Booth was hurt, she didn't need to wake him up, too.

Easing herself out of bed, she went off in search of food. By the time she entered the kitchen she was freezing. And, she admitted to herself with a small smile, she missed Booth. So, after filling a bowl with Cheerio's and milk she returned to their room. Booth's eyes were open, his head propped up on one arm. Each broke into a grin at the sight of the other.

"Missed you," Booth said as Temperance rejoined him under the covers.

"Mhm," Temperance agreed while taking a bite of cereal. Booth watched her do so with innocent eyes.

Rolling her own, she reloaded the spoon and lifted it to his lips.

They shared the rest of the cereal, then Booth took the bowl out of her hands and set it on the floor. He took her in the arms and lowered his face slowly to hers. Temperance felt that rush of excitement that never ceased to amaze her before their lips met.

Something was different about this kiss. It was deep and passionate, yes, but somehow intense and probing at the same time. A question mark instead of an exclamation point. It scared her and she pulled away.

"Booth–" It was now too dark to make out his features.

He rolled off her. "Sorry."

Temperance wasn't sure what he was apologizing for, and for some reason she felt as if she had been the one to do something wrong.

They lay silently side by side. Sleep didn't come for a very long time.

XxXxX

When Temperance opened her eyes the next morning Booth wasn't in bed. Terrified that she had upset him the previous night, she jumped from under the covers.

He wasn't in the bathroom. Or in the living room. Or the kitchen.

Temperance's panic increased with each room. She couldn't lose him now. Not when everything was going so perfectly for the two of them.

She found a pair of boots by the door and put them on, not caring that she was wearing them on the wrong feet. Without a jacket she ran outside. Booth's SUV was still parked in the driveway. And Booth was shutting the passenger door and turning back towards the cabin, holding something in his arms.

Temperance's heart leapt at the sight and she clumsily ran towards him. He dropped what he was holding and gathered her into his arms.

"Booth, I'm so sorry," she whispered into his chest. The cold air sent goosebumps scurrying up her arms and she shivered and pressed closer to Booth.

"For what?"

What _was_ she sorry for? "I thought you left," she said simply.

"Why would I leave?"

Temperance didn't reply from where her head was buried in Booth's warm chest.

"Temperance, listen." He tilted her chin up so he could look her in the eyes. "I love you."

A single tear rolled down her cheek and she allowed Booth to wipe it away. She stepped back into his arms, liking that if felt as though he was protecting her.

"Look." Booth finally let go of her. He pointed to the ground. A worn pair of hockey skates and a pair of pristine white figure skates lay in a jumble at their feet.

Temperance laughed. "I don't know how to skate."

"I'll teach you."

An hour later they were trekking through the snow, decked out in snowpants, jackets, and their other winter gear. Booth had Temperance's hand in his; he seemed so comfortable now that he had finally said 'I love you' and every once in a while he would lean over and whisper it in her ear. She would blush and squeeze his hand, wondering why she couldn't say it back. Booth, however, didn't seem too worried about it.

The air was crisp and clean and made Temperance feel alive. Snow covered the leafless trees and bright red cardinals hopped from branch to branch, chirping songs to each other. Temperance felt as though she could have lost herself here, but Booth walked with an air of confidence. He knew exactly where they were going.

"Here we are." He spread an arm at the frozen pond in front of them.

"Didn't it snow yesterday?" Temperance asked. All of the snow on the pond had been pushed off the one side so there was a smooth plane of ice.

Booth shrugged. "I have people."

He helped her lace up her skates and she waited while he put on his own. She stood, shifting her weight from side to side, testing the skates. They were tight on her feet and didn't allow much give in the ankles. Booth assured her that's how it was supposed to be.

When both were ready he took her hand and led her out onto the ice, whispering another 'I love you' in her ear.

"I'm afraid." Even Booth could tell she wasn't just talking about learning to skate.

"Don't be."

Temperance stepped onto the slick surface. Her feet flew out from underneath her. With a _thump _her butt hit the ice.

Booth pulled her up. "Here. Like this." He showed her how to push off from the ice. It took some practice but soon Temperance was keeping up with him.

"How'd you get so good at this?" she asked while Booth skated circles around her after yet another wipe out.

Booth held out a hand for her. "I used to play hockey."

"And now you're teaching Parker," Temperance guessed, grabbing his proffered hand. Booth nodded.

Once she was back on her feet, Booth touched her arm, then sped off. "Come get me," he called over his shoulder.

Temperance set off after him, chasing him across the pond, pausing now on then to regain her balance. She was racing up one side of the pond when she heard a crack. Slowing, the cracking sound grew louder. Then, the feeling of growing shorter until she realized her feet were freezing. Looking down, she saw that she had cracked the ice and was sinking. She tried to lift herself out, but the weight of the skates combined with the pull of the water made it impossible.

"Booth!"

He turned, and seeing her, sped over. Her feet had found the bottom of the pond and she was waist deep in icy water. Booth grabbed her by the arms and pulled her out. She collapsed against him, the bottom half of her body soaking wet.

Booth helped her out of the skates and wet snowpants, took of his own snowpants and guided her frozen legs into them. It didn't help much. The cold seemed to have invaded her to the core and she couldn't stop shivering.

Booth gathered her close and together they hurried back to the cabin. Temperance didn't say much, but Booth kept whispering that she would be fine, that they were almost back.

When finally the cabin came into sight they broke into a jog.

As soon as they were inside, Temperance headed straight for the hearth. She lit the fire and set as close to the flames as she could without burning herself. Even with the fire her teeth still chattered and her clothes still dripped. During their short sprint she'd broken into a sweat that was now making her even colder.

Booth entered the living room, laid a blanket on the floor in front of the fire, and sat down on it. Temperance joined him and Booth stripped her of her wet clothes, leaving her in only her bra and panties. He threw another blanket over her shoulders.

She slowly grew warmer, the fire and blanket and Booth's body heat finally doing their job. She leaned into Booth, who stroked her hair absent-mindedly.

"It's New Year's Eve," he murmured.

She thought about how much had happened in the last year, how happy she'd been. And it had all been because of Booth. He had changed so much.

Temperance turned in his arms and looked at him with a fierce intensity in her eyes. "I love you."

She waited for a reply. Booth smiled. It was enough for her and she pressed a kiss to his lips.

The fire crackled beside them and the blanket was soft on her bare skin. Which was pressed up against Booth. Who had a very noticeable bulge growing in his pants.

His mouth was hot and reassuring on hers and this time Temperance knew she wasn't going to be able to stop.

She lost herself in him and each thing he did amazed her. It was like she'd never had sex before. This was different. She'd never felt anything like it, never felt so close to anyone. It was as if Booth completed her, added something that had been missing for so long.

The way he kissed her, the way he touched her, even the way he held her when it was over was so gentle and loving. Temperance knew she had found what she was looking for.

"When did you know that we would end up together?" she asked, curled up in his arms.

"I always knew," he murmured, lips brushing her ear. "Since the very beginning."


End file.
